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Translated by Bl. Jackson.
St Basil the Great Resources Online and in Print
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88 Pages
Page 71
62. It is an extraordinary statement, but it is none the less true, that the Spirit is frequently spoken of as the place of them that are being sanctified, and it will become evident that even by this figure the Spirit, so far from being degraded, is rather glorified. For words applicable to the body are, for the sake of clearness, frequently transferred in scripture to spiritual conceptions. Accordingly we find the Psalmist, even in reference to God, saying "Be Thou to me a champion God and a strong place to save me" [1247] and concerning the Spirit "behold there is place by me, and stand upon a rock." [1248] Plainly meaning the place or contemplation in the Spirit wherein, after Moses had entered thither, he was able to see God intelligibly manifested to him. This is the special and peculiar place of true worship; for it is said "Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place...but in the place the Lord thy God shall choose." [1249] Now what is a spiritual burnt offering? "The sacrifice of praise." [1250] And in what place do we offer it? In the Holy Spirit. Where have we learnt this? From the Lord himself in the words "The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth." [1251] This place Jacob saw and said "The Lord is in this place." [1252] It follows that the Spirit is verily the place of the saints and the saint is the proper place for the Spirit, offering himself as he does for the indwelling of God, and called God's Temple. [1253] So Paul speaks in Christ, saying "In the sight of God we speak in Christ," [1254] and Christ in Paul, as he himself says "Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me." [1255] So also in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries, [1256] and again the Spirit speaks in him. [1257]
[1247] Ps. lxxi. 3, LXX.
[1248] Ex. xxxiii. 21, LXX.
[1249] Deut. xii. 13, 14.
[1250] Ps. l. 14, LXX.
[1251] John iv. 23. With this interpretation, cf. Athan., Epist. i. Ad Serap. S: 33, "Hence it is shewn that the Truth is the Son Himself...for they worship the Father, but in Spirit and in Truth, confessing the Son and the Spirit in him; for the Spirit is inseparable from the Son as the Son is inseparable from the Father."
[1252] Gen. xxviii. 16.
[1253] 1 Cor. vi. 19.
[1254] 2 Cor. ii. 17.
[1255] 2 Cor. xiii. 3.
[1256] 1 Cor. xiv. 2.
[1257] 1 Peter i. 11.
Reference address : https://www.elpenor.org/basil/holy-spirit.asp?pg=71
